Attachment for maintaining keys in keyholes



Dec. 22, 1925. 1,566,806

P. ABERDEEN ATTACHMENT FOR MAINTAINING KEYS IN KEYHOLES Filed Dec. 13 1924 Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

PALMER ABERDEEN, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ATTACHMENT FOR MAINTAINING KEYS IN KEYHOLES.

Application filed December 13, 1924. Serial No. 755,795.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PALMER ABERDEEN, of the city of Toronto, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, attorney, subject of the King of Great Britain, having invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Maintaining Keys in Keyholes, do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a device adapted to insert into a key hole in combination with the key, to maintain and prevent it from being forced out, or turned, by instruments inserted through the key hole from the oppocite side of the look from that in which the key has been turned to lock the door. 'The device is constructed that it may be readily inserted into any size or shape of key hole, with and while the key is in the lock.

A flange is formed around the shank adjacent with that portion adapted to engage in thekey hole, for the purpose of effiectively closing the key hole from observation from the opposite side of the door, and to present inserting the device too for into the key hole.

The shank of the device is constructed whereby it may be lengthened out to adapt it to be used with extra long keys, and keys of various lengths.

The device is adapted to be used with any of the standard length and shape of keys, as the claw member'for engaging with the key is held in adjustable relation on the shank, by a tension spring, and may be adjusted and maintained in adjusted position by the spring.

The claw member is :held by the spring. and may be instantly disengaged from the key for the purpose of unlocking the door, either in the ordinary way, or for hasty exit.

The claw member which engages the head of the key, is manipulated simply by the thumb and finger.

When the device is disengaged from the key hole and out of use, the claw member may be folded down in compact relation, so that the device may be conveniently carried in the pocket, or hung on a key ring by a loop formed on the end of the shank For that purpose.

The object of the device is to provide means by which a key may be safely held in locked relation in a door lock, and protected from being unlocked, or turned or removed, by the insertion of instruments through the key hole from the opposite side of the lock than that in which the key is inserted.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a door and lock showing the device in position and in engagement with a key;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the device;

Figure l is a side elevational view of the device showing the claw adjusted out, and

Figure 5 is a top plan view showing the stem extended outwardly.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

The letter a designates a shank, consisting of an externally screw threaded stem 1) and an internally screw threaded sleeve 0, adapt ed to be longitudinally adjusted by screwing the stem in or out of the sleeve.

(Z designates a locking ring screw adjustable on the stem 1). The ring is adapted to be screwed up against the end of the sleeve 0, after the stem has been screwed in or out, to'maintain the adjusted positions.

The periphery of the ring is milled to provide a finger grip to fascilitat-e in manipulating it.

Formed on the outer end of the stem 5 is a curved tongue e adapted to be inserted into the key hole, by which the device is supported in lateral relation therefrom. I

f represents a flange formed with the tongue 6, and at the junction of the tongue and the stem b.

The flange f is adapted to engage over the lower part of the keyhole when the tongue is inserted into the key hole, to prevent the insertion of any kind of an instrument through the key hole, to turn or force out the key.

\Vhen attaching the device to the lock, the shank is held in a position that the tongue will enter into the key hole at an angle. It is then forced inwardly until checked by the engagement of the flange 7, when it is then straightened out, which brings the curved centre portion and the end of the tongue into engagement in binding relation against the side walls of the key hole, by which it through the key hole.

firmly holds, and closes off the passage *g designates an adjustable claw member "adapted to engage and attach over the end of the key and firmly hold it in the look, so

that it cannotbe turned or forced out of the i I 7 look, by manipulation through the key hole,

from the opposite side of the door from that I in which the key isinserted.

The claw-member g is held inpivotal and slidable relation with the sleeve 0 by .pintles therefrom. 1

tical' or right angle position therewith, and

Q also to adjust along'thesleeve to adapt it V toengage with keys of variouslengths.

' turned, and further secure itfrom' beingmanipulatedfro-m theopposite side of the The head portion of the claw member is I bifurcated so as to engage around thestem of thekey, and formed in the bifurcated portions are notches L, which engage over-the head of thekey to prevent it from being Wis a coiled tensionspringwhich encircles the shank a, in betweenithe locking ring 7 d andthe claw member j The spring m is for maintaining anadallow for adjustingto engage over the head justaib'le tension against the'claw member, to

-o fthj'e key. The spring m also holds the clawimember firmly against a flange 41 formed on the end of theshank, when the claw'inember is folded down into relation against the sleeve.

Formed on the outer end of the shank is compact an eye 0 by which the device may be "at tached to a key ring or watch chain'when out of use. I

Slight modifications may be made in the shape and arrangement of the difierent parts without deviating fromthe nature of my invention.

"VVhat' I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-V-.

l 1. A device of theclass described, a shank adaptedto be longitudinally adjusted, said shank comprising a screw threaded spindle and an internally screw threadedysleeve, a.

curved tongue formed on the outer end of said spindle, a claw memberslidably and pivotally' arranged onthe said sleeve, atension spring for maintaining'the said claw member, in adjusted positions on the said shank, substantiallyas and'for the purpose specified.

2. A device of the classdescribed, tank 7 adapted to longitudinal adjustment, said shank comprising a screw threadedspindle and an internally screw threaded sleeve, a-

locking ring seton the'said spindle, a curved tongue formed on the outer end of the said spindle, a radially extending flange formed T with thesaid tongue, slots formed in longitudinal relation in-the said sleeve, abifurcated claw member 1 adj ustably arranged on a I said sleeve," pintlesifor'med, withthesaid V claw member, SMClPlIltlGSBIlgflglllg 1n the V said slots, said claw member, adapted to slidable and pivotal adjustment, a tensionspring encircling the said sleeve; said spring adapted to maintain "said claw member 1n ad usted positions on the. said sleeve, substantially as and for the purpose specified. -In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature to this'specification. I Toronto, December 6th, 1924. a V

' Y PALMER ABERDEEN. 

